


The Lion and the Crab

by onehaleofanadventure



Series: JayTim Week: Valentine's Edition 2017 [6]
Category: DC Comics, Red Hood and the Outlaws, Red Robin - Fandom
Genre: Day 6: Stargazing, Ethiopia-mentioned, Fighting, Fights, Fluff, M/M, Open Ending, Running Away, i think thats it..., its still happy though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-10-11 12:39:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10465236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onehaleofanadventure/pseuds/onehaleofanadventure
Summary: Bruce and Jason fights, and sometimes it's worse than others.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! So I have officially finished JayTim week (only a month and a half late, shh!) Anyway, as is typical with me, there be typos, I'm sorry. I wrote this on my phone while I freezing my butt of in the wind at 7 in the morning. Any, this is mostly just fluff, and I hope you enjoy it!

In hindsight, they should have all seen it coming. Bruce, Dick and Alfred could not count, on all their combined limbs, the number of times they found Jason stockpiling food and clothes, or packing emergency bags. And on one particularly memorable occasions, Dick had stumbled—literally—into the teen in the dark, only to flip on the lights and see silent tears, a packed bag slung over his shoulder, and a clear path to the open window. And on one particularly memorable occasions, Dick had stumbled—literally—into the teen in the dark, only to flip on the lights and see silent tears, a packed bag slung over his shoulder, and a clear path to the open window. That was the first big fight Batman and the second Robin had ever had.

So really, after all the yelling Bruce had done, he and Alfred should not have been surprised to wake up and find the flighty teen missing without a trace. Honestly, who thought it was a good idea to teach the already stealthy—from years of living and hiding on the streets—kid how to hide from the best of the best.

 

\----------- 

 

Tim Drake was not a stalker. He liked to take pictures. He liked Batman and Robin, mostly Robin. Just because he had to follow Batman and Robin to take pictures of them did not mean he was a stalker.

That being said, it was probably was a little creepy that he followed them home, although he lives next door, so he had to go that direction anyway. Also, Ms. Mac said the shrine of Robin pictures and merchandise he had in they hall closet next to his darkroom was creepy.

But who could blame him. Robin was amazing, and Jason was only a year older than him. Ever since Jason became Robin and started attending Gotham Academy Tim has been working up the courage to talk to him, to be friends with him.

 

\----------

 

Tim wasn’t sure if he should go out tonight. Last night had not ended well. Everything had been going as usual: Batman and Robin were interrogating some crook.

Tim glanced down to clean his camera lens and when he looked up Robin was halfway over the balcony railing desperately reaching for something—a man, the man that had just been running from Batman—just out of his reach. Right as he was pulling himself back into standing upright, Batman leapt down onto the balcony. From there, yelling had started and then Jason was being dragged next to Batman into the alley and the parked Batmobile.

Normally, when Bruce and Jason fight, Robin won’t be on patrol for a few days and then everything would go back to normal until the next fight.

However, Jason was not in class today—Tim does not stalk, everyone just gossips about the street rat or charity case that Mr. Wayne adopted this time—and Jason always comescomescomescome to school

unless he’s seriously injured. Jason loves school and learning, Tim thinks, as evidence by him catching up to his peers so quickly despite not having gone to school for years.

Tim also hears the ruckus that evening, Bruce’s thunderous rumble echoing through the expanse of trees and flowers that separate Wayne manor and Tim’s spot in the Drake gardens. From his spot—close to where their paths converge and meet the road leading into town—Tim also hears the screech of tires spinning too fast and wild across gravel, which signals the Batmobile leaving in a rush.

Tim doesn’t really know why, but he grabs his camera and heads off into the night. Avoiding an angry Bruce was never fun, especially without the promise of Jason—Robin.

 

\------------ 

 

Tim started toward to end of Batman and Robin’s usual patrol to make up for Batman driving so fast.

Tim also hears the ruckus that evening, Bruce’s thunderous rumble echoing through the expanse of trees and flowers that separate Wayne manor and Tim’s spot in the Drake gardens. From his spot—close to where their driveways converge and meet the road leading into town—Tim also hears the screech of tires spinning too fast and wild across gravel, which signals the Batmobile leaving in a rush.

So maybe that is why he decides to go out. Batman in a rush means something important, so he probably needs Robin with him.

 

\------------

 

He starts his search about halfway through what he thinks is their usual patrol route. He’s kind of in Crime Alley, but just the edge, so it should be okay, though he is wishing he’d brought the cheaper camera. And maybe some mace or something.

 

\------------

 

He’s been out for hours, it’s chilly and damp and he’s miserable. As another set of sirens go wailing down a few streets away, Tim readies himself to leave, disappointed but not exactly surprised to have missed the Bat and his Bird.

Out of the corner of his eye he catches—a vaguely human shaped—blob bounce gracefully over the roof next to his. By the time he grabs his camera and looks up, the shape is gone and he is alone once again.

That is, until a throat is pointedly cleared behind him.

“Kid, it ain’t safe to be out here all ‘lone.”

The drawl sounds more street than Jason usually does, but it is undeniably his favorite bird. Tim turns, mind filtering through responses for one that is suitably cool but not disrespectful. He stops short, face-to-face with Jason Todd, no mask or cape or spandex tights is sight.

“Kid—“

“T-Tim. My name is Tim.” If this is the only way he is brave enough to talk to Jason, he’ll take it.

“Well, Timmy, you not be our here alone with something that expensive. That camera your clutchings gotta be a thousand easy.”

Tim grins sheepishly, “More like two, not counting the lens or the spare in the bag.”

“What the—“

“But it’s okay. I know self-defense. And besides I’m not alone, youre—“ mid sentence, Tim notices to overstuffed duffle slung over Jason’s shoulder “—here?” he finishes, though it wasn’t meant to be a question.

“You don’t even know me, kid.”

“Stop calling me that, you can’t be that much older than me. Plus, I introduced myself, so should you.”

Jason huffs, “Tim, it ain’t safe. It is tell ya my name, promise to go home before you get hurt?” Tim nods, smiling a little at the exaggerated eye roll he gets in return. “It’s Jason. No where are we walking?”

“We? And, ummm, Jason Wayne?” Tim splutters, he knows who Jason is, but he’s still thrown on the we part.

“It’s Todd, I didn’t take Bruce’s name. And yes, we. You’re tiny. Easy prey—“

“Hey!” Tim knows he’s small for his age, but he’s isn’t that small and he really does know self-defense, specially for his hobby.

Jason snorts. But Tim continues “I’m not going home yet. Don’t give me that look, I said I would and I will. Just not yet. What’s with the bag?”

“Smooth transition. And you’re awfully curious, ain’t cha? So what are ya doing out here with a fancy camera?” Jason cocks a brow and it makes Tim nervous, and he blurts out the first thing that comes to mind—

“Stargazing!” He regrets the word as soon as it leaves his mouth, blushing a deep red.

Jason laughs as expected, “There’s ain’t no stars here, ki-Tim.”

“There are, if you can look past the smog and clouds.” Tim takes a seat on dirty concrete. “Like this one—“

He turns to Jason, who just stares at him for a moment before sitting down next to him.

“—that really bright spot, it’s the primary star for the Zodiac Leo constellation. It’s peaking tonight, that’s why it’s so bright.”

“Leo, that’s the August one, right? That’s mine.” He sounds a little distant as he states at where Tim is pointing.

Tim smiles softly, trying to not obviously stare. “The little cluster next to it, they’re really dim tonight, but that’s the my Zodiac sign, Cancer.”

 

\-----------

 

They spend a long time sitting on that roof. Going back and forth between talking about the stars, and Gotham, and whatever meaningless topic comes to them.

The sun is just starting to peak over the horizon when Jason manages to convince Tim to go home. The trip back is a lot faster.

“So Drake. Tim Drake. As in the neighbors.”

Tim blushes, “I thought it’d be weirder if I said that.”

Jason snorts. “Whatever, kid.” He turns, but Tim isn’t really ready to give up this weird friendship they’ve developed tonight. “I didn’t know the Drakes were back from wherever.”

“They aren’t. I didn’t want to go. Hey! You never told me, what’s with the bag.”

“Oh, I uhh, I’m going to Ethiopia. I found out my biological mom is alive, and there.” Jason shifts, a guilty tell, but Tim doesn’t notice.

“That’s really awesome. I hope you have a lot of fun.” Tim’s phone buzzes, his alarm for school going off. “I have to go. School, you know. Anyway. I guess I’ll see you when you get back?”

Tim bites his lip, a little nervous about Jason’s reaction. “Sure, kid. Someone’s got to stop you from being picked on at school.” Tim splutters as he walks inside, smiling fondly as Jason’s laugh echoes across the empty lawns.

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on Tumblr if you want to talk!
> 
> https://onehaleofanadventure.tumblr.com/


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